Does this call of the Common Loon bring to mind a summer visit to northern lakes with sunny blue skies? If so, you’ve probably heard loons in Alaska, Canada, northern Minnesota, or New England. This “yodel” call is given by a male on its breeding territory.

The call of the Common Loon during winter is quite different from the summer breeding call.

The prolonged, unmodulated tone sounds somewhat like a wolf’s howl, doesn’t it? We identify this as the “wail” call, reflecting its mournful qualities. Both males and females give this call, for example, when they want to reestablish contact after becoming separated.

Common Loons have another, more cheerful “tremolo” call. This undulating tone, tagged the “laughing call,” is given while flying.

When winter ends, Common Loons return to their breeding territories. Once back to those shining northern lakes, the males will again launch their yodel.

Calls of the Common Loons provided by The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Yodel call recorded by D.C. Evans, Wail and Tremolo calls recorded by S.R. Pantle.

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